Texas thought it should be in the College Football Playoff and gets to prove its point in the Citrus Bowl. The Longhorns take on 18th-ranked Michigan.
No. 14 Texas (9-3, CFP No. 13) vs. No. 18 Michigan (9-3, CFP No. 18), Wednesday, 3 p.m. EST (ABC)
BetMGM Sportsbook College Football Odds: Texas by 7.
Series record: Texas leads 2-0.
What’s at stake?
This is a statement game for Texas, which felt it should not have been left out of the 12 teams in the College Football Playoff. The Longhorns soundly beat two playoff teams in Oklahoma and most recently Texas A&M. It also would be a strong way to finish a year in which Texas was the preseason No. 1 in the AP poll. For Michigan, it’s all about looking ahead. Biff Poggi is the interim coach for the Citrus Bowl following a month in which Sherrone Moore was fired for an extramarital relationship with a staffer, and then charged with three crimes for breaking into the woman’s house. Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham two weeks after he stepped down from 21 years as Utah’s coach. Whittingham will be at the game as an observer.
Key matchup
Texas quarterback Arch Manning against Michigan’s defense. Manning began to hit his stride late in the year in his first season as the starter. Manning completed 61% of his passes for 2,942 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he threw only two interceptions over the final seven games, a stretch that included Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Georgia and Texas A&M. Two of Michigan’s top defenders are Derrick Moore (team-leading 10 sacks) and edge-linebacker Jaishawn Barham. Both have opted out of the Citrus Bowl.
Players to watch
Texas: Sophomore edge rusher Colin Simmons led Texas with 11 sacks, 15 pressures, 13.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He will be play a key role in disrupting Michigan’s offense.
Michigan: Bryce Underwood completed 61% of his passes for 2,229 yards as a true freshman. He ran for 323 yards and accounted for 14 touchdowns.
Facts & figures
This is only the third meeting for these teams, twice in a bowl game. Texas beat Michigan in the 2005 Rose Bowl and won at Michigan in 2024. … Poggi is 2-0 as interim coach, winning against Central Michigan and Nebraska while Moore served a suspension from a sign-stealing scandal. … Texas is without its leading three rushers as Quintrevion Wisner, C.J. Baxter and Jerrick Gibson have opted out to enter the transfer portal. … Texas is bringing back Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator. He will be at the Citrus Bowl, but co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Johnny Nansen will be calling the defense. … Texas is playing in its 61st bowl game, third all-time behind Alabama and Georgia. … Michigan is making its seventh appearance in the Citrus Bowl, most recently a 35-16 loss to Alabama in 2020. Texas is playing in the Citrus Bowl for the first time. … The common opponents for Texas and Michigan this year were Oklahoma and Ohio State. Both lost to Ohio State. Texas beat Oklahoma in Dallas, while Michigan lost to the Sooners on the road. … Texas has won 24 of its last 26 games when scoring first.
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